What do you think?
Rate this book
Earth Shapers: How We Mapped and Mastered the World, from the Panama Canal to the Baltic Way
Mountains, meridians, rivers and borders; these are some of the features that carve up the world on our maps and in our minds. But geography is far less set in stone than we might believe and, over time, we have become experts at reshaping our surroundings.
From the Qhapaq Ñan, South America's 'Great Road', and the Panama Canal to Mozambique's railways and Korea's sacred Baekdu-daegan mountain range, Samson explores how we mould the world around us. And how, as we etch our needs onto the natural landscape, we alter the course of history.
An immense work of cultural geography touching on ecology, sociology, history and politics, Earth Shapers argues that, far from being constrained by geography, we are instead its creators.
From the Qhapaq Ñan, South America's 'Great Road', and the Panama Canal to Mozambique's railways and Korea's sacred Baekdu-daegan mountain range, Samson explores how we mould the world around us. And how, as we etch our needs onto the natural landscape, we alter the course of history.
An immense work of cultural geography touching on ecology, sociology, history and politics, Earth Shapers argues that, far from being constrained by geography, we are instead its creators.
- GenresHistory
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2025
4 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 7, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Profile Books for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Maxim Samson's book, Earth Shapers, is a standout in the recent wave of books that explore the intersection of geography, history, and politics. While Tim Marshall's Prisoners of Geography and its sequel The Power of Geography offer a compelling, and at times entertaining, argument for geographical determinism, Samson presents a more nuanced and profound view. He challenges the idea that humanity is merely a captive of its physical environment. Instead, Samson's work, like Paul Richardson's Myths of Geography, argues that we are active participants in shaping our world. This serious and scholarly tone is one of the book's most compelling features, providing a deeper intellectual experience than some of its more populist counterparts.
Samson's examples are both wide-ranging and fascinating, showcasing how human ingenuity and action have fundamentally altered landscapes and, in turn, history. He explores the astounding Incan road system, the transformative construction of the Panama Canal, and the geopolitical implications of Mozambique's colonial railways. Samson also delves into lesser-known stories, such as the sacred Baekdu-daegan mountain range in Korea and the ongoing efforts of the Great Green Wall in Africa. The book's strength lies in its ability to present these diverse case studies as a cohesive narrative of human agency. It's an appreciation of the serious tone and detailed research that makes Earth Shapers a must-read for anyone interested in how we have truly "mastered" and reshaped the world. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for similar future works by the author.
This book also managed to use the word "palimpsest" even more often than Richard Dawkins in "The Genetic Book of the Dead" and I thought that could not be done.
#EarthShapers #NetGalley
Maxim Samson's book, Earth Shapers, is a standout in the recent wave of books that explore the intersection of geography, history, and politics. While Tim Marshall's Prisoners of Geography and its sequel The Power of Geography offer a compelling, and at times entertaining, argument for geographical determinism, Samson presents a more nuanced and profound view. He challenges the idea that humanity is merely a captive of its physical environment. Instead, Samson's work, like Paul Richardson's Myths of Geography, argues that we are active participants in shaping our world. This serious and scholarly tone is one of the book's most compelling features, providing a deeper intellectual experience than some of its more populist counterparts.
Samson's examples are both wide-ranging and fascinating, showcasing how human ingenuity and action have fundamentally altered landscapes and, in turn, history. He explores the astounding Incan road system, the transformative construction of the Panama Canal, and the geopolitical implications of Mozambique's colonial railways. Samson also delves into lesser-known stories, such as the sacred Baekdu-daegan mountain range in Korea and the ongoing efforts of the Great Green Wall in Africa. The book's strength lies in its ability to present these diverse case studies as a cohesive narrative of human agency. It's an appreciation of the serious tone and detailed research that makes Earth Shapers a must-read for anyone interested in how we have truly "mastered" and reshaped the world. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for similar future works by the author.
This book also managed to use the word "palimpsest" even more often than Richard Dawkins in "The Genetic Book of the Dead" and I thought that could not be done.
#EarthShapers #NetGalley
December 15, 2025
Can't say I was all that impressed by this book. I learned about a few things in each chapter (especially about the Incas and the early history of Chicago), but nothing that I couldn't have picked up on Wikipedia. Samson has a very weak thesis (perhaps hinted at by the "How" at the head of his subtitle; there is very little "Why" or "So What") that could be summarized as, "Hey, humans change things."
I wish it were deeper than that, but it really wasn't. There are much better works of historical or political geography available. Read those.
I wish it were deeper than that, but it really wasn't. There are much better works of historical or political geography available. Read those.
September 16, 2025
This is a good book that looks at how the structures that we built shape our perceptions. It has some good points but strains at it thesis at times.
September 27, 2025
Do we choose the path that already exists, or create a new one instead?
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. First, the book’s first line immediately grabs your attention. It’s very detailed, full of terminology and information. I think readers who are interested in geography, history, and nonfiction will really enjoy this book. I gave it a try, it made even someone like me, who doesn’t usually enjoy this genre, love it
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. First, the book’s first line immediately grabs your attention. It’s very detailed, full of terminology and information. I think readers who are interested in geography, history, and nonfiction will really enjoy this book. I gave it a try, it made even someone like me, who doesn’t usually enjoy this genre, love it
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews